McConnell blocks bill that would make it easier for Americans to vote
Refusing to make it easier for Americans to vote only protects Mitch McConnell’s power.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is blocking a vote on the “For the People Act,” also known as H.R. 1, which would ensure the right to vote is protected for millions of Americans.
H.R. 1 would fight corruption and expand the right to vote. It would put federal guidelines and regulation in place that protect elections from foreign attackers, while also phasing out partisan gerrymandering designed to consolidate political power. Polling has shown that its provisions are extremely popular, while the status quo supported by McConnell is not.
But McConnell still opted to attack the popular legislation in a floor speech, making a disingenuous attack against the bill as he promised to suppress it.
He said the bill was “running roughshod over states’ and communities’ control of elections, regulating and chilling the American people’s exercise of the First Amendment, forcing taxpayers to indirectly donate to the politicians they don’t like, and a dozen other bad ideas to boot.” McConnell previously whined that the bill was unfair to Republicans.
Since he began coming out against the bill, McConnell’s own hometown newspaper, the Lexington Herald-Leader, slammed him for his “segregationist” stance against the legislation’s voter protection provisions.
McConnell’s opposition to the bill stands in stark contrast to other legislation he has pushed for votes on. McConnell is pushing for a show vote on the Green New Deal, mocking serious concerns about the damage brought about by climate change. He hopes to wield votes on the legislation as a political weapon against Democrats.
McConnell also sought a vote on needless anti-choice legislation based on harmful conservative lies about abortion practices. He believed that vote would also help Republicans’ political fortunes.
McConnell clearly thinks that if more people can get to the polling place and exercise their rights that his party will suffer. He’s blocking the bill in the Senate because he knows suppressing voters will empower him and his allies.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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